O[TINF]2[/TINF] in Interstellar Molecular Clouds

Abstract

We have used the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS) to carry out deep integrations on the NJ=33-->12 transition of O2 in a variety of Galactic molecular clouds. We here report no convincing detection in an initial set of observations of 20 sources. We compare O2 integrated intensities with those of C18O in a similarly sized beam and obtain 3 σ upper limits for the O2/C18O abundance ratio 2)/N(H2)-7 (3 σ). A combination of data from nine sources yields 2)/N(H2)>=[0.33+/-1.6 (3 σ)]×10-7. These low limits, characterizing a variety of clouds in different environments at different Galactocentric radii, indicate that O2 is not a major constituent of molecular clouds and is not an important coolant. The abundance of O2 is significantly lower than predicted by steady state single-component chemical models. The present results are best understood in the context of cloud chemical and dynamical models that include the interaction of gas-phase molecules and grain surfaces and/or circulation of material between well-shielded and essentially unshielded regions. This circulation may be powered by turbulence or other driving forces that effectively keep molecular clouds chemically unevolved.